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chain speedwell, pink water speedwell, sessile water-speedwell, water speedwell

gray field speedwell, gray speedwell

Habit Annuals or perennials. Annuals.
Stems

erect or ascending, 15–60(–80) cm, glabrous or glandular-hairy distally.

creeping to decumbent, 5–20(–40) cm, eglandular-hairy.

Leaves

petiole 0 mm;

blade oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, (5–)25–50(–100) × 4–15(–30) mm, 2.5–5 times as long as wide, base amplexical-truncate or amplexical-subcordate, margins entire or subentire, apex acute, surfaces glabrous.

blade suborbiculate to ovate, rarely oblong-ovate, (3–)6–11(–14) × (3–)4–9(–10) mm, base truncate, margins serrate to dentate, teeth 2–4 per side, apices usually rounded, apex acute to obtuse, abaxial surface densely hairy, adaxial sparsely hairy to glabrate.

Racemes

10–25, axillary, 100–160 mm, 15–25-flowered, axis glabrous or glandular-hispid;

pedicels less than 3 per cm, glabrous or scarcely to densely short glandular-hairy, rarely completely glabrous;

bracts oblong, 3–5 mm, apex obtuse.

1–4, terminal, 50–200(–400) mm, 5–20-flowered, axis sparsely to densely hairy or glabrate;

bracts suborbiculate to ovate, (3–)6–11(–14) mm.

Pedicels

patent, (3–)5–10 mm, equal to or ± shorter than subtending bract, glabrous or glandular-hairy.

usually semicircularly recurved, (3–)6–13(–15) mm, 0.5–1.5 times subtending bract, densely eglandular-hairy.

Flowers

calyx lobes 2.5–3 mm, apex obtuse, glabrous or glandular-hairy;

corolla white to pale pink with darker veins not reaching margins, 4–5 mm diam.;

stamens 5 mm;

style (1.3–)1.5–2.5 mm.

calyx lobes broadly ovate, (3–)4–6(–7) mm, 2.6–3.8 mm wide, apex acute, eglandular-hairy, rarely glandular-hairy;

corolla intense dark to bright blue, rarely pale lilac or white, with darker nerves, abaxial 1/2 often brighter to whitish, (3–)4–7(–8) mm diam.;

stamens 0.5 mm;

style (0.5–)1–1.6(–1.8) mm.

Capsules

± compressed in cross section, subglobular, 2.5–3(–3.5) × 3–4 mm, apex emarginate, sinus 0.1–0.3 mm, glabrous or glandular-hairy.

± round in cross section, obcordiform, (2.5–)3–4(–4.5) × (3.5–)4–6(–6.3) mm, apex emarginate, sinus angle 20–60(–80)°, densely eglandular-hairy, sometimes also glandular-puberulent, rarely glabrous.

Seeds

26–123, yellow-brown, ellipsoid to subglobular, planoconvex, 0.4–0.7 × 0.3–0.5 mm, 0.2–0.3 mm thick, smooth.

(7–)16–24(–30), pale yellow, ellipsoid to ovoid, deeply cymbiform, 0.9–1.6 × (0.5–)0.8–1.3 mm, 0.4–0.8 mm thick, rugose-cristate.

2n

= 36.

= 14 (Eurasia).

Veronica catenata

Veronica polita

Phenology Flowering Jun–Oct. Flowering (Feb–)Mar–Jun(–Jul).
Habitat Wet places, rarely running water, lakeshores, ditches, muddy places, stream channels. Fields, ruderal places, calcareous soils, lawns.
Elevation 0–2500 m. (0–8200 ft.) 0–600 m. (0–2000 ft.)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; MA; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; ND; NE; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY; AB; BC; MB; ON; QC; SK; Europe
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CO; CT; DC; FL; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; NC; NE; NY; OH; OK; PA; TN; TX; VA; WI; WV; MB; NB; ON; Eurasia; nw Africa (Algeria, Morocco) [Introduced in North America; introduced also in Mexico, s South America]
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Veronica catenata seems to be a relative of V. anagallis-aquatica that is more cold-adapted, as seen in Europe (R. Götte 2007), and native to the flora area. Although no specimens were seen it may be found in Alaska, Connecticut, and Kentucky.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Plants of Veronica polita are similar to those of the more frequent V. persica and are probably frequently overlooked.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 17, p. 314. FNA vol. 17, p. 319.
Parent taxa Plantaginaceae > Veronica Plantaginaceae > Veronica
Sibling taxa
V. agrestis, V. alpina, V. americana, V. anagallis-aquatica, V. argute-serrata, V. arvensis, V. beccabunga, V. biloba, V. chamaedrys, V. copelandii, V. cusickii, V. cymbalaria, V. dillenii, V. filiformis, V. fruticans, V. grandiflora, V. hederifolia, V. longifolia, V. officinalis, V. peregrina, V. persica, V. polita, V. scutellata, V. serpyllifolia, V. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
V. agrestis, V. alpina, V. americana, V. anagallis-aquatica, V. argute-serrata, V. arvensis, V. beccabunga, V. biloba, V. catenata, V. chamaedrys, V. copelandii, V. cusickii, V. cymbalaria, V. dillenii, V. filiformis, V. fruticans, V. grandiflora, V. hederifolia, V. longifolia, V. officinalis, V. peregrina, V. persica, V. scutellata, V. serpyllifolia, V. spicata, V. stelleri, V. sublobata, V. teucrium, V. triloba, V. triphyllos, V. undulata, V. verna, V. wormskjoldii
Synonyms V. catenata var. glandulosa, V. connata subsp. glaberrima
Name authority Pennell: Rhodora 23: 37. (1921) Fries: Novit. Fl. Svec., 63. (1819)
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